sportskeeda
Cycling star Mathieu van der Poel has stated that there “must be an investigation” after an occurrence where a water bottle struck him in the face during the Paris-Roubaix race.
The 30-year-old athlete from Alpecin–Deceuninck characterized the incident as “attempted manslaughter” during an assertive post-race interview.
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Van der Poel marked his third consecutive Paris-Roubaix victory, matching the record set by Octave Lapize and Francesco Moser in 1980.
Sadly, what should have been a moment of celebration was marred by a rogue water bottle thrown by a fan around 33km before the finish line.
The bottle hit Van der Poel squarely in the face, leaving him extremely upset after crossing the finish line.
He told Sporza: “This cannot be overlooked. It was a full bottle, and the impact was significant. If it had hit my nose, it could have resulted in a fracture.”
“I hope the police can find the person responsible because there need to be consequences for this.
“This is attempted manslaughter. If the UCI does not take action, we will take matters into our own hands as a team.”
At his post-race press conference, he implied that legal actions against the spectator may be on the horizon.
“While it doesn’t overshadow the enjoyment I had, it remains unacceptable,” he remarked.
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“It was a full bottle, weighing perhaps half a kilogram, and I was traveling at 50kph. It felt like a rock hitting my face.”
“This behavior cannot be tolerated. While throwing beer is a concern as well, this is entirely different. We must pursue legal actions against this.”
Less than a day after the incident, a man allegedly surrendered to the Belgian police, confessing to throwing the bottle.
His identity has not been released.
Alpecin-Deceuninck’s team manager Philip Roodhooft appealed for attention to be focused on the majority of fans who appreciate the sport rather than the disruptive individuals.
He remarked: “Such people do not deserve our spotlight. We will allow the authorities to conduct their investigation first.”
“It’s crucial to remember how many tens of thousands admire the accomplishments of Mathieu and others.”
Former British professional cyclist Adam Blythe condemned the spectators involved as “scumbags” during race coverage on TNT Sports.
He criticized: “Just scumbags. I can’t fathom why someone would do this. It’s utterly unbelievable.
“The upside is that it didn’t impact him – but it’s revolting. Just stay away. There’s no reason for your presence.”
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